Elastic-fluid turbine



O. JUNGGREN.

ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3. 1920.

1,352,278. Patented Sept. 7, 1920.

Nguuu Inventor:

Oscar Jun r' n, am

l-l isAttorneg To all whom it may concern:

Para

OSCAR JUNGGREN, OF SGHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELASTICLFLUID' TURBINE.

' Application filed March 3,

Be it known that I, Osoan JUNGGREN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elastic-Fluid Turbines, of which the followingis a specification.

The present invention relates to elasticfluid turbines of the type in which the cas ing is divided into a number of stages by nozzle-containing diaphragms which surround the shaft and are supported in the casing wall, there being a suitable packing between the bearings of the diaphragms and the shaft to prevent leakage. In the stages formed by the diaphragms are bucket wheels which arecarried by the shaft and to the buckets of which elastic fluid is'directed by the nozzles. V

In starting up and during operation a turbine is subjected to considerable variations in temperature, the variations occurring during operation being due to changes in load and variations in vacuum as is well understood. Also rubbing may sometimes occur between the moving and stationary parts which may be the cause of considerable heat being generated. As a result of the foregoing, the turbine parts are'subjected to unequal heating which causes unequal expansion and in the case of the diaphragms and casing the difference in expansion of a diaphragm and a casing may be considerable so that with the diaphragms connected rigidly to the casing, stresses of substantial magnitude may be set up in a diaphragm or on the casing, which may result, in the one case, in buckling of the diaphragm, and, in the other, of crackingof the casing. V I V The object of my present invention is to provide an improved structure and arrangement'for supporting a diaphragm within a turbine casing, which leaves the diaphragm free to expand and contract in all directions relatively to the casing, thereby avoiding undue stresses being set up, and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description an'dthe claims appended thereto. I

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a transverse, sectional view through a turbine showinga diaphragm supported in accordance with Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented SeptQY, 1920. 1920. Serial No. 362,913.

my invention; Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view on a larger scale than Fig. 1,-of the diaphragm supporting means; F ig. 3 is a top plan view looking down on the lower half of the diaphragm, and Fig. 4c isa perspective View of a spring member.

Referring to the drawing, 5' indicates the turbine casing which is shown as being split in a horizontal plane through "its axis to form the upper and lower halves, the halves belng provided with flanges 6 to receive bolts 7 for fastening them together. 8 indicates a turbine shaft 7 upon which are mounted bucket wheels (not shown). The bucket wheels may carry one'or more rings of buckets as found desirable. The turbine casing 5' is divided into stages by dia phragms 9 which carry partition plates 10 forming nozzles for directing elastic fluid against the buckets of the'wheels. The casing is formed onits inner surface with annular, radially extending walls 11' and 12 (Fig. 3) which define an annular groove for thereception of the rim of the diaphragm. and on its discharge sidethere is a sealing joint between the diaphragm rim and wall 11, as indicated at 13,-to prevent leakage of elastic fluid around the periphery of the diaphragmfrom one stage to the next. lower stage. upper and lower halves corresponding to the casing halves, being'split as indicated The diaphragm is formed: in the 7 at 14. The foregoing maybe taken as" typical of a turbine structurein connection 'with which my improved diaphragm supporting means may be used.

Now according to my invention I make the diaphragm of lesser diameterthan' the turblne casing so-the diaphragm is spaced from it around its entire periphery, and I their support the diaphragm on the casing by means of two specially constructed and arranged supporting members which are detachably connected to the diaphragm on substantially diametrically opposite sides of it, and rest on su porting shoulders on the turbine shell. To thisfen'd' I provide the lower half of the diaphragm at what may be I termed its two corners with recesses 15'ai1d 16 to form pro ectmns 17 and engaging with yprojections 17 are hook-shapedinember's or bars 18, each comprising a part 19 located in recess 16 beneath a projection 17 and a part QO'which lies in recess. 15 and is fas tened to the diaphragmby a screw 21'. Part 20 is or a thickness so it lies flush with the Hat top surface of the lower half of the diaphragm and it serves to hold the hook straight and to take up the force caused by the weight of the diaphragm tending to turn the member 18 in a vertical plane. Members 18 project beyond the periphery of the diaphragm and present flat bottom surfaces which rest on shoulders 22 in the lower half of the turbineshell, which shoulders are formed by providing recesses 23 therein. Between the outer walls of recesses 23 and members 18 are spring spacers 2 1 which serve to center the diaphragm and which may also yield when the diaphragm eX- pands. Spring spacers 241 are shown in the present instance as being in the form of flat bars provided at their two ends with lugs 25 which engage the adjacent walls of recesses 23 and at their central portion with lugs 26 which engage the adjacent surfaces of members 18.

The flat edge of the upper half of the diaphragm rests directly on the upper flat edge of the lower half oi the diaphragm and is centered by projections 2-7 which extend vertically from and form a part'ot' members 18, such projections being located in recesses 28 formed at thetwo corners of the upper half or" the diaphragm. Projections 2r may or may notbe fastened to the upper half of the diaphragm as found desirable in any .particular instance.

In some cases the upper halves of the dia phragms may be assembled in the upper half of the turbine casing and provided with a suitable holdin means to form a structure which is handled as a unit in assembling the turbine. That is, the upper half of the turbine casing with the upper halves of the diaphragms therein are put into position or removed at the same time. In such .cases, the upper halves of the diaphragms would not be fastened to projections 27. In case, however, the upper diaphragm half is assembled on the lower half prior to the putting into position of the upper half of the casing, then projections?! may be fastened to the upper diaphragm half by suitable means, such as the pins 29.

In assembling the turbine, the members 18 are placed in position at the corners of the lower diaphragm halves and fastened by screws 21. The diaphragm halves are then placed in the lower half of the turbine casing, members 18 resting on shoulders 22, suitableshims being provided, as indicated at 30, to bring the diaphragms to correct position. Spring spacers 24: are then put in position after which the upper halves of the diaphragm and the upper half of the turbine casing are placed in position. When assembled, the members 18 are held between the two halves of the casing, a suitable shim 31 being provided to give the desired tightdiaphragm.

ness to the lit. This firmly anchors the diaphragm and prevents its turning in the casing.

It will be seen that the members 18 serve to support the diaphragm at two opposed points located at substantially the horizontal axis of the diaphragm and maintain the diaphragm in correct position in a vertical direction, while spring spacers 24 serve to center the diaphragm in a transverse direction and yieldingly hold it. The diaphragm is thus free to expand and contract in all directions.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means. 7

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. In an elastic-fluid turbine, the combination of a supporting wall provided with shoulders adjacent its horizontal axis, a diaphragm of less diameter than the inner diameter of said wall, means connected to said diaphragm and resting on said shoulders for supporting the weight of said diaphragm, and yielding means which engages said first named means for centering said diaphragm. V

2. In an elastic-fluid turbine, casing, a diaphragm therein of less diameter than said casing, means for supporting said diaphragm rigidly on the casingat opposite ends of the horizontal diameter or" the diaphragm, and yielding means which. engages said first named means for centering said 3. In an, elastic-fluid turbine, a casing formed in upper and lower halves, a diaphragm therein of less diameter than said casing and formed in upper and lower halves, and means carried by the lower half of'the diaphragm and engagingthelower half of the casing for supporting the diaphragm in spaced relation to the casing.

4. In an elastic-fluid turbine, a casing formed in upper and lower halves, a dia phragm therein of less diameter than said casing and formed in upper and lower halves, means carried by the lower half of the diaphragm and engaging the lower half of the casing for supporting thediaphragm in spaced relation to the casing, and yielding means for centering the diaphragm.

5. In an elastic-fluid turbine, a casing formed in upper and lower halves, a diaphragm therein of less diameter than said casing and formed 1n upper and lower halves, means carried by the lower half of the diaphragm and engaging the lower half 7 cesses formed at the two corners of the.

of the casing for supporting the diaphragm in spaced relation to the casing, yielding means for centerin the diaphragm, and means carried by said supporting means which engages the upper half of the diaphragm for holding it in correct relation to the lower half of the diaphragm.

6.111 an elastic-fluid turbine, a casing formed in upper and lower halves, said lower hair" being formed with recesses providing shoulders, a diaphragm, supporting means for the diaphragm which rests on said shoulders, and yielding means in said recesses which serve to center the diaphragm. V

7. In an elastic-fluid turbine, a casing formed in upper and lower halves, said lower half being formed with recesses providing shoulders, a diaphragm formed in upper and lower halves, said diaphragms being of less diameter than the casing, re-

lower half of the diaphragm to form horizontally extending pr03ect10ns, hook members engaging said pro ections and resting on said shoulders for supporting the weight with recesses shoulders for supporting the weightof' the diaphragm, projections on said hook memlower half being formed with recesses providing shoulders, a diaphragm formed in upper and lower halves, said diaphragms being of less diameter than the casing, re-

cesses formed at the two corners of the lower 7 half of the diaphragm to form horizontally extending. projections, hook members 7 engaging said projections and resting on said shoulders for supporting the weight of the diaphragm, yielding means for centering the diaphragm, and means for locating the upper diaphragm half relatively to the lower diaphragm half.

lOLIn an elastic-fiuid turbine, a casing formed in upper and lower halves, said lower half being provided on opposite sides forming shoulders, a diaphragm formed in upper and lowerhalves,

said lower diaphragm half being provided at its two corners with recesses forming projections, hook members located in said re-.

cesses and engaging said projections, said hook members resting on said shoulders to support the diaphragm and space it from -the casing wall vertically, and yielding means for locating said diaphragm versely. g V

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of March, 1920,

trans- OSCAR JUNGGREN. 

